Handle Bar Route Extension for Interactive Flight Path Modification

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Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional flight route modification technologies, such as rubberbanding, require at least two points and do not allow users to easily switch back to the original route or remove intermediate points, making it difficult to interactively manage flight routes effectively.

Innovation Solution

The handle bar route extension mechanism allows users to create or modify flight routes by interacting with a handle bar displayed on the map, enabling route creation without needing a second point initially, and allowing for easy modification and visualization of flight routes with the ability to render multiple handle bars for alternate routes.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of operation

If rubberbanding is used to modify flight routes, then the flight route can be changed by dragging points, but the user cannot easily switch back to the original route or remove intermediate points

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveroute modificationVSAvoidroute switching flexibility
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of operationVSAdaptability or versatility

Solution Approach 1:

The system dynamically switches between rubberbanding mode and handle bar mode based on user interaction. When a user touches a point, the system transitions from displaying a static flight route to displaying an interactive handle bar extension, enabling flexible mode changes without losing access to the original route through the back button functionality.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

The handle bar serves as an intermediary element between the user and the flight route modification process. It provides a visual extension from the touched point in the direction of travel, allowing users to create intermediate points more intuitively while maintaining the ability to revert to the original route through system-level undo functionality.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Ease of operation

If conventional rubberbanding is used, then intermediate points can be created by dragging, but at least two points must be designated to create the flight route line

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveroute creationVSAvoidpoints required
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of operationVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The system performs preliminary action by automatically designating the first point (departure point) when the flight route is initially created. When a user subsequently touches another point, the handle bar extension appears, and the system is ready to create the route line with just one additional user action, rather than requiring two explicit point designations as in conventional rubberbanding.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The invention extracts the first point designation from the interactive creation process. By pre-establishing the departure point in the system, the user only needs to interact with one additional point to create a complete flight route line, simplifying the user workflow while maintaining route creation functionality.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

3Adaptability or versatility

If multiple handle bars are rendered for alternate routes, then users can visualize alternate paths, but the interface complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvealternate route visualizationVSAvoidinterface elements
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The system applies local quality by rendering handle bar extensions with specific visual characteristics (dashed lines, different colors) that distinguish them from the main flight route. This allows multiple alternate route visualizations to coexist without creating confusion, as each handle bar has distinct local visual properties that convey its purpose.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #3Local quality

Solution Approach 2:

The system implements partial action by only displaying handle bar extensions for points that have been touched but not yet finalized as intermediate points. This selective rendering approach allows multiple potential alternate routes to be visualized without overwhelming the interface with excessive elements, as only relevant handle bars are displayed at any given time.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #16Partial or excessive action

Data Source

PatentEP3017277B1Handle bar route extension
Publication Date: 2020.03.18 THE BOEING CO
  • EP3017277B1 patent drawingFigure 1A
  • EP3017277B1 patent drawingFigure 1B
  • EP3017277B1 patent drawingFigure 2A

AI summary

A handle bar route extension mechanism for creating or modifying a flight route is disclosed herein. The handle bar route extension mechanism can allow a user to create or modify a flight route using a destination point. The handle bar route extension mechanism can be automatically rendered in a display in response to a touch input. In some configurations, the handle bar route extension mechanism may be rendered in a display in various directions or various lengths based on different inputs. In further configurations, more than one handle bar route extension mechanism may be rendered in a display.